Adjustable and removable mounting guard for rimless eyeglasses



w. BROWN 2,369,527

ADJUSTABLE AND REMOVABLE MOUNTING GUARD FOR RIMLESS EYEGLASSES Feb. 13, 1,945.

Filed oct. 9, 1941 ETE. 7

lPatented Feb. 13,` 1945 .fjsTA'lrEs PATENT". vortica f ADJUSTABLE AND REMOVABL MOUNTING GUARD FORtR'IMLESS EYEGLASVSES -William'Brown, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., assignor to' f y -Shock Proof Lens Guard, Inc., Kingston, Pa., a.

' corporation ofPennsylvania l e Application Oct'oberi), 1341, Serial No. 414,360

` Thisinvention yrelates to improvementsvinattachments for rimlessleyeglasses -`(theapplication,

being aepntinuation ,injpartf kmyratent No, e 2,344,230,- issued March 14, 1944), and morepar'j ticularlyto a guard `for the mounting ofrs'uch type glasses, the primary objectA being toprovidean adjustabledand removable mounting guardffor rimless eyeglasses which vvill positively secure the mountingsin position with respect'to the lenses without applying kunc'iue'pressure onl said lenses'.

`A further objectof they invention residesin providing-a guard forf theA rnountings,v of rimless eyeglasses,.,wlflereinA there is lincluded a. specific 'locking means for the nasal v, and temperaL lensmountings, with means connectingsaid locking means ony each lens following theV contour of the periphery. of the lens withoutoontacting' said lens. A, ffurther objectjof theinvention; resides` in the provision of .a guard which will yprevent the mountingsion rimless eyeglasses from becoming loose and Wabbly and which', whensecured inv position, will rrnly retain the mountings in position without direct pressure v on the lenses. still further object offthe `invention resides in providing a guard as aforesaid, lwhich, while pref venting themountings from loosening, will, at. the same time; permit normal flexibility of the temples in vany manner andno'rmal,flexibilityy of the complete pair` of glasses.f

y, f A furthery object of 'the mvert'ibnrgesides in, the l Vvand' whch.. wh'en applied will not onlyv havev a usetheglasses. y" .Y

A still further'objec't resides inthe provision of ya mounting guardi'. which `will lenablea pair of Yful function but also add' to theornamentality o f e rinilesslgla'sses to be placed edgewise 'on an object without danger ofscratching orotherwise linjur- ,ing the meses but'whichr will assemble the wearerl to apply what is'known as slip-over lens attachments over theguard without danger of chipping the lenses. i

.f Still another object-:fof V 'the invention resides in providing ayguard which, while protecting the lenses, will secure the mountings in place against casual disengagement from the lenses, thusu'preventing' theannoyance of having wabbly lenses in the frames from time to time, and vwhich will tend also to prevent the cracking ofthe lenses, both ,in the application ofthe guard touse bythe mechanic and after the same yhasbeen, applied and theeyeglas'ses placed in use by the wearer.

Still another object of the invention resides in providinga device which is ycomparatively simple, durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will prove very emcient and useful in operation.

With these and numerous other objects'in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination 'and arrangement; of parts as will be hereinafterreferred to and more vparticularly pointedv out in the 'specication and" claims. Y

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application,`

Figure 1- is an elevational view of a pair of eyeglasses having octagonal-shaped lenses and embodying my -improved mounting guard, viewing the same from the inside, with the temples fin section;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section therethrough, as seen on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged inside elevational view of one .of the lenses withmy adjustable andret movable mounting guard attached thereto, `showing 'in dotted lines variousadjustable positions of the guard, the temple being shown in section;

Figurel is an enlarged detailed elevation of a fragment lof a lens with the; guard applied, parts being broken away and parts being shown in Section; i l Figure 5 is a vertical section therethrough as seen on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; Y

Figure 6 isa horizontal section therethrough "as seen on the linel-G of Figure 4, parts being shown in elevation n ,l Figure '7 is a similar view as seen on theline 1-1 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detailed section through a lens, a portion of. a mounting, llink guard .and

securingnut with the parts'laboutto befsecured.

inposition; ,l Y t Figure 9 is a similar view Vwith the parts secured in position with respect to one another, showing particularly theA bending of the link .guard over4 the curved portion of the mounting strap under' the action of the concave securing nut; l Vi Figure lO is an elevational view of the `link guard removed, showing,theffserrations therein;

' latter.

Figure 11 is a horizontal section therethrough modified form of a connection, with the elements l l separated;

Figure 16 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the one end of the bracing bar, with parts being shown in sectionand,.

Figure 17 is an elevational view of a modied 2 form of link guard.

It is awell known fact that inthe daily use vlof rimless eyeglasses, or even in the use :thereof by those who4 require glasses on certain occasions, the `m'o'ujntin'gs become loose and wabbly, thereby creating 'al/noticeable `Vmovement vof the lenses with respect `to said mountings. When lenses are loose `and wabbly, same are thrown od their lnormal axes, `thus changing thecorrection and making same 'uncomfortable -as vwell l'as linjurious to the wearer.` Obviously, the eiect of `lenses lso distorted will :impair the lvision ofthe wearer.

My invention. 'contemplates the 'provisionkof means to 'eliminate the diilculties heretofore encountcredvby the use 'of a floating Aconnection 'between the vmountings of each lensfw'hic'h, 'when secured'nrmly "in place, .will `positively Yand per-V inanently Vlock said Vrnountings lin their properly 'adjustedpositions `with, respect to the lenses against casualdisengagement.

Iam ,appreciativeof the fact that various so'- It is a purpose `of my invention to provide a mounting guard of such a construction and adapted for such application as will prevent undue strain being applied to the lenses, regardless of how securely the` guard is applied to the mounting by the shop mechanic.

It is, likewise, the purpose of my invention to so secure` vtheguard imposition .when 'first applied by the mechanic at the optical Shop, and `without strain on the lenses, that same .may be retained in position indefinitely, a serrated conl:nection being provided which acts substantially as a lock Washer'for the nut applied to the screw of the mounting to lsecure the same against casual disengagement. y"Ihere being no direct 4pressure .or istran fon thexlenses, through my improved `guard when applied to use, the dangers of crack- 'ing lenses, Vthrough careless handling of the calledbars or guards or braces `have been `used over. or adjacent the `upper peripheral edges 'of rimlesseyeg'lasses for purposes Aof ornamentality, protection ofthe edges ofthe lenses vand'for'varous `other alleged purposes, but none Aof Asuch devices have heretofore been produced 'for accomplishing the primarypurposes of my invention, that is, to ,Ssecureand guard the'mountings on rimless 'eyeglasses against causal disengagementfrom the'lenses to prevent loosening of the y Nor has'there been provided heretofore a 'floatinggllard of the type provided'herein Vwhich is capable of `readyalijustment so as to'correctly fit thelenses under vall conditions;

lWhen Alenses are .ground inaccurately "through error and the mounting openings therein imac-.- curately drilled, difficulty is encountered inapplying an .ordinary brace or bar to rimless glasses, but"the provision of a floating or Y'adjustable guard, such asI have inventedLenables 'me to `apply the guard and readily adjust lthesame to correctly t the lenses under Isuch conditions. Moreover, it has not been possible heretofore to apply a brace' or guard tothe rimless eyeglasses wherein the lenses are of the oc'tagonal shape,

but vmy invention enables `meto apply the 4guard tcsuch shapes of lenses, vdueto the vfloating 'and Iadjus'table connections constituting an essential part of the invention.

iIn themounting of fthe rimless eyeglasses, the mechanics or Aworkmen in the `shop .endeavor to secure the lenses in `place without strain to pro- ;te-ct the :same against cracking. In fact, special Ainstruments v.are provided `vto detect any undue strain on the lenses when mounted, but it vhas been'found that when strainis applied .to the glasses, or even through application of undue strain when mounting the lenses, will be substantially minimized, if not actually eliminated.

In describing the invention, 'Ilshall Vrefer tothe drawing, in which tsimilar `reference characters designate corresponding Jparts throughout the several views and in which the numerals I and 2 designate, respectively,l lenses cin a 'pair of 'rim-l less eyeglasses,"these `lenses being shownas of the octagonal shape, although it yisto 'be understood that the lenses `may be roundyoval or Aany other desired shape or design, since'myinvention is ap# plicable'to lensesjofanyshape,whatsoever. 'These lenses 'are connected `by vthe n'osepieceor` bridge l3 winch maybe `of "the-conventional type, or otherwise, same having the pairs "of straps llfstraddling the inner opposed ends 'ofthe lenses and secured v tothe latterfby means of the `screws 5 =and 'the nuts l;l While 'I *have shown abridge Yin which a pair 'of straps'straddles the lens, itwill be understood, "of, course, that "theremay be utilized, with 'equally good eiect,soffar as vinyinvention is concerned, a vvbridge 'in which 'only 'one,'or the inside strap, lis used' in connection with `'the lens. The numeral l designates the nose "guard whichv may be of 'the conventional yor Yany desired 4style or design.

My invention is particularly Iapplicable to i rim'- less eyeglasses of the spectacle type, although not 'necessarily limited to thistypeyand inthe drawing I have shown the conventional temples -8 pivotally Acarried jby 4"theteinple supports 9. These temple supports are disclosedas-having A'a pair of 'straps ID straddlinjg 1the^outer 'opposed ends'of the lenses l andare secured'intplacethrough the medium of the screws, :'I'I ,fanfdnuts l2. While 'I have shown the type of temple lsupports `in which -a pair of armsorstraps'straddle the lenses, it is, of coursegto be understoodthatisupports may be used in which only a single insidestrap is'provided, as my invention is equally vwe lladapted for use Ain connection 'with such a support, 'and particularly is this true whenfexceptionally thick or 'excepe tionallythin rlenses are utilized, Vat which times .double strap mountings are impractical.

:lenses through the' securing .of the mountings,

nothing will prevent the cracking of the lenses.

Th'emountings for'ithe bidgevornose piece 3 'and the mountings for the temple supports are.

respectively provided With'the side Astraps 3 and 9 which areof'theconventional type. Whereas, various types `of side strapslhave been heretofore provided to prevent loosening of the'rnountings,

In'carrying put `my invention, providev Veach `from the invention.

liens-with a guardwhich comprises a bracing -bar I3, preferably formed of; a soft flexible lightmetal g which .may be readily bent to'conform to the shape or contour of any lens to which it is adapted-to be applied, and floatinglyV or hingedly mount the same in connection with;the mountingLstraps-of the nasal and temple supports.v While I-fhave shown `this bracing bar.l3 in thedrawing to be substantiallyy rectangular `in cross-section, I do not wish to` be particularly limited to this shape yas same may be round, oval or any other design in .cross-section without aiecting the 1nvent1on.

Likewise, this bracing bar is ladapted to be mounted so .as to conform'to the upper peripheral edge of each lens andlie just rearward thereof, although same may bevdesigned to toverthe peripheral `edge rof each lenswithout departing AAs shown in Figure 16: of the drawing,the free ends of the bracing bar I3 are offset fromopposite facesl thereof to formon one facea .wide shoulder I4 and on the other face a narrow shoulder I5, leaving a'reduced portion I6 which is designedto form an earor thelike, for apurpose to be hereinafter and more particularly vset forth.

As aforesaid, this bracing bar I3`is` floatingly orA hingedly supported 'in position and acts as a bracebetween the nasal and temple supportsso that when these "Supports -are mounted on the lenses, same will be secure in positionv as against casual disengagement. Iny carrying out my invenf ition, therefore, I providefor each bracingy bar a pair of link guards I1, the one end of eachV lof which is provided with an openingl through the medium of` which same may be swivelly or hingedly engaged with the ear I6 at the free end of the bar I3.v This swivel connection isdesignated by the numeral I9, as clearly showninFigures 6 and 7 of the drawing and the linkguard is applied tothe face of the ear I6 immediately adjacent the short or narrow shoulder I5., Each link guard I1, adjacent the opposite en d thereof, is provided with an opening20, so that the same may beappliedto the free ends of the screws andI I which-secure, respectively, the nasal and.temple supports to the lenses.V Incidentallyfthe screws Sand I I are of the standard length, the same en gaging the threaded ,openingsfin the straps 41and IIJ, but are of such lengtnas to lpermit the link guards to be applied thereto between saidstraps and the nuts applied to the ends of saidL screws. The oiset forming the shoulder I5 in the one face of the )ends of the bar, I3permits'the link guards towfit thereon and rbe substantially iiush with the one face of said bracingy bar. The, opposite offset forming the wide shoulder I4 is provided to en,.

able the bracing bar. to operate over ,the straps ofthe nasal and temple supports and at thesame time permit the bracing bar to overliethe face of the, lens in very close proximity thereto. Due to the/thicknesses ofthe metal parts on the mountings,"`Y ach ,of the` linkjguards-|1 is slightlybent intermediate of itszends, as shown at 20.

" nThe one face of eachlink guard is provided with radial serrations 2| radiating from the open- 'ingl 20 and theA nuts ,6 and I2 havetheinner faces thereof concaved as shown at 22.Av Thus, when! kthese nuts are turned home, after the adjustment has beenmade of the bracingbar with4 respect to the lens, the peripheral, edges ofthe concaved inner facewill engage the vser-` ratedportions of the link guards I1 and bite 'thereagainst but at the Sametime theglink guard .willfbe Abentin arcuate fashion, as shown in Fig- X? 9f.' zh?, drawing, ,to `confprm to lthe-'curved face'23-of" the Astraps 4 and-I0 of the .nasal and temple supports. The link guards I1 are formed of very vthir'i'springy metal andthrough the medium of the constructionshown and described, same will constitute substantially lock washers for ,the nuts 6, and I2 when the latter are turned homein the position shown in Figure 9 of the drawing.V

In mounting the guards, the same are applied tothe inner faces of. the lenses, with the bracing bars I3 adjacent the upper edges of said lenses, with which the same are adapted to .conform.v The link guards `are applied to the screws 5 and II- and the, nuts 6 and I2 are turned lightly on thescrewsto aneutral position.v The bracing bars are thenl adjusted with the ngers tothe proper, position to conform tothe outline of the upper peripheral edges of the lenses, and this is accomplished quite readily in view of the oating or hingedy connections. between the .ends of the bracing bar and the straps of the mountings, The nutsare then turnedl home and the concaved inner faces of said nuts will cause the adjacent portions of the link guards, as aforesaid, to bend in conformity to the straps of the mountings, as clearly shown in Figure 9 of .thedrawing-,-

y kfirmly to the link'guard at the temple mounting.

wobble or loose connections which would affect the vision of the wearer because of the tight connection of such mounting withA the mounting at the opposite end of thelens. Thus, it.will be seen when the nuts are secured in place, they not only securethe'respective mountings against casual disengagement, but prevent themountingsffrom becoming loose andwobbly atboth ends of each run and the dangers as lheretofore described incident to the use of glasses with loose lenses will beavo-ided. Y

In Figure 14 of -the drawing, I haveshown a Slight-modification, of the inventionwherein a link guardv 24, similar to the link guardH, is provided but itsn connection with thel lower end l2 5 of thebracing bar is differentfrom the form heretofore described. In this instance, the end i of the bracingv bar 25'is provided with a stud 26 which fits pivotally in the. opening 21. at one end of the link guard 24. Thus, apivotal or swivelled connection is provided withv the elements, but said elements are readily separable, when and if desired.

., jIn Figure 15 vI have shown a still further modiiication of the invention, wherein alink guardf 28 is providedsornewhat similar to the link guard I1, except thatin lieu of an opening in the one end, adepression 29 is pro-videdtherein adapted to receive a lprojection 30 formedby making a depression 3I 'in the end of a bracing bar' 32.

'Ihis provides a swivelled connection between the elements but also affords ready separation'of the elements when and if desired.

InrfEigure 17 of the drawing, I have shownfa'A slightly modiedform of link'guard 33.` In this -ment about outer horizontal axes, the aforesaid screws extending beyond the aforesaidstraps and through the inner ends of the link members .pivotally mounting the latter for vertical tilting ad l justment about inner horizontal axes parallel to said outer axes,y and nuts applicable to the free ends of said screws for securing the straps, lenses and link members together, the adjacent faces of said nuts and straps beingy provided with means of said lenses between the bridge member and temple supports, link members formed of resilient pliable materialy having their outer ends pivotally connected to the ends of said brace bar for verticaladjustment about outer horizontal axes, said screws extending beyond the aforesaid straps and through the inner ends of the link members pivotally supporting the latter for vertical tilting i adjustment about inner horizontal axes parallel to said outer axes, portions of the inner ends of said link members being serrated, and nuts applicable tothe free ends of Vsaid screws for securing the straps, lenses and link members together, the adjacent faces of said nuts and straps being providedLwith means cooperating with each other tocause a distortion of the serrated portions of said link members over said straps to securely lock said link members and correspondingly said brace bar in adjusted positions against casual displacement when said nuts are turned home.

, WILLIAM BROWN. 

